We must be united in the war against addiction! My mission is to unite organizations,support groups, and everyone else who needs a helping hand. I am here to educate equip and develop a Recovery resource Network. My hope is that everyone gets the help they need and no one is left behind or alone in their fight for freedom from addiction. Join me and lets fight the good fight! Our Philosophy: Instigate, Agitate, Educate, and Liberate!

New Jersey has embraced new laws that permit good Samaritans to call 911 without fear of arrest and allow first responders, friends and family to carry the overdose reversal medication Narcan. Pennsylvania has been slower to enact similar measures. In this hour interview on Radio Times, Noni West, The Council's liaison to PRO-ACT's Public Policy Committee and Family Education Programs, discusses heroin policy, usage in the region and potential solutions. Also featured is Roseanne Scotti, the Drug Policy Alliance's State Director in New Jersey.

Columnist Gabrielle Glaser of the NY Times explains different paths for some people with a substance use disorder, particularly the young. "When their son had to take a medical leave from college, Jack and Wendy knew they - and he - needed help with his binge drinking... He had a disease, and in order to stay alive, he'd have to attend A.A. meetings and abstain from alcohol the rest of his life, they said. But the couple... resisted that approach. Instead, they turned to... a growing wing of addiction treatment that rejects the A.A model as the sole form of recovery... Instead, it uses a suite of techniques that provide a hands-on, practical approach to solving emotional and behavioral problems, rather than having abusers forever swear off the substance - a particularly difficult step for young people to take." Read the full article on "A Different Path To Fighting Addiction."

This thought-provoking article raises important questions on the meaning of "substance use disorder" and the role of "harm reduction." The chronic disease of addiction is complicated on several levels, including its self-management component. The Council therefore strongly supports The Recovery Bill of Rights, which includes the right to be fully informed of the many pathways to recovery.